User station providing localized manufacturing for personalized products

Abstract

A method and a system are disclosed for providing a component customization and personalization function. The method comprises the steps of providing a user station including (a) a user interface, and (b) a manufacturing subsystem; enabling a user, via the user interface, to access a graphics subsystem to define a desired design to be placed on a consumer product; receiving, at the manufacturing subsystem, data descriptive of the desired design; and manufacturing, by the manufacturing subsystem at the user station, at least one component of the consumer product to have the desired design. A further step employs an e-commerce engine to conduct a financial transaction with the user in order to make an accounting for the manufactured component.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A Component Customization and Personalization System (CCPS) comprising: 
 a central site comprising an interface to a communications network, said central site further comprising a set of predetermined designs and images and a graphics server providing graphics tools for enabling a modification of said predetermined designs and images, and for further enabling the creation of new designs and images;    a user station coupled to said central site through said communications network, said user station comprising: 
 (a) a user interface for enabling a user to access said graphics server for defining a desired design to be placed on a consumer product; and  
 (b) a manufacturing subsystem for receiving data descriptive of said desired design, and for manufacturing, at said user station, at least one component of said consumer product to have said desired design.  
   
     
     
         2 . The CCPS of  claim 1 , wherein said central site further comprises an electronic commerce engine for conducting a financial transaction with the user in order to make an accounting for the manufactured at least one component.  
     
     
         3 . The CCPS of  claim 1 , wherein said central site further comprises means for enabling the user to include the desired design into said set of predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         4 . The CCPS of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface enables the user to access said graphics server for the purpose of selecting one of said predetermined designs as a desired design.  
     
     
         5 . The CCPS of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface enables the user to access said graphics server for the purpose of creating said desired design by modifying at least one of said predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         6 . he CCPS of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface enables the user to access said graphics server for the purpose of creating said desired design by inputting the new design or a new image.  
     
     
         7 . The CCPS of  claim 6 , wherein the user inputs a new design or image by digitally scanning an artwork or a photograph.  
     
     
         8 . The CCPS of  claim 6 , wherein the user inputs the new design or image by outputting digital data from a digital camera.  
     
     
         9 . The CCPS of  claim 6 , wherein the user inputs the new design or image by outputting digital data from a memory card.  
     
     
         10 . The CCPS of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one user station comprises a point-of-sale (POS) terminal.  
     
     
         11 . A Component Customization and Personalization System (CCPS) comprising: 
 a central site comprising an interface to a communications network, said central site further comprising a set of predetermined designs and images and an electronic commerce engine for conducting a financial transaction with the user; and    a user station coupled to said central site through said communications network, said at least one user station comprising: 
 (a) a user interface for enabling a user to access a graphics program for defining a desired design to be placed on a consumer product, the graphics program implementing graphics tools for enabling a modification of said predetermined designs and images, and for further enabling the creation of new designs and images; and  
 (b) a manufacturing subsystem for receiving data descriptive of said desired design, and for manufacturing, at said user station, at least one component of said consumer product to have said desired design.  
   
     
     
         12 . The CCPS of  claim 11 , wherein said electronic commerce engine accepts a payment from the user in a form selected from the group consisting of a credit card, a debit card, a gift card, and a redemption of loyalty points.  
     
     
         13 . A Component Customization and Personalization System (CCPS), comprising: 
 a central site comprising an interface to the Internet, said central site further comprising a set of predetermined designs and images and an electronic commerce engine for conducting a financial transaction with the user;    a user station coupled to said central site through the Internet, said user station comprising: 
 (a) a user interface for enabling a user to access a graphics program for defining a desired design to decorate at least one component of a mobile station, the graphics program implementing graphics tools for enabling a modification of said predetermined designs and images, and for further enabling the creation of new designs and images; and  
 (b) a manufacturing subsystem for receiving data descriptive of said desired design, and for manufacturing, at said user station, at least one component of said consumer product to have said desired design.  
   
     
     
         14 . A Component Customization and Personalization System (CCPS) user station comprising: 
 a user interface for enabling a user to access a graphics subsystem for defining a desired design to be placed on a consumer product; and    a manufacturing subsystem for receiving data descriptive of said desired design, and for manufacturing, at said user station, at least one component of said consumer product to have said desired design.    
     
     
         15 . The CCPS user station of  claim 14 , further comprising an interface for accessing an electronic commerce engine for conducting a financial transaction with the user in order to make an accounting for the manufactured at least one component.  
     
     
         16 . The CCPS user station of  claim 14 , wherein said graphics subsystem comprises a set of predetermined designs and images, and a graphics tool for enabling a modification of said predetermined designs and images and for further enabling the creation of new designs and images.  
     
     
         17 . The CCPS user station of  claim 16 , wherein said graphics subsystem enables the user to include the desired design into said set of predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         18 . The CCPS user station of  claim 16 , wherein said user interface enables the user to access said graphics subsystem for the purpose of selecting one of said predetermined designs as a desired design.  
     
     
         19 . The CCPS user station of  claim 16 , wherein said user interface enables the user to access said graphics subsystem for the purpose of creating said desired design by modifying at least one of said predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         20 . The CCPS user station of  claim 16 , wherein said user interface enables the user to access said graphics subsystem for the purpose of creating said desired design by inputting the new design or a new image.  
     
     
         21 . The CCPS user station of  claim 20 , wherein the user inputs a new design or image by digitally scanning an artwork or a photograph.  
     
     
         22 . The CCPS user station of  claim 20 , wherein the user inputs the new design or image by outputting digital data from a digital camera.  
     
     
         23 . The CCPS user station of  claim 20 , wherein the user inputs the new design or image by outputting digital data from a memory card.  
     
     
         24 . The CCPS user station of  claim 14 , further comprising a point-of-sale (POS) terminal.  
     
     
         25 . The CCPS user station of  claim 14 , wherein said consumer product is a mobile station.  
     
     
         26 . The CCPS user station of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one component is a cover component of said mobile station.  
     
     
         27 . The CCPS user station of  claim 25 , wherein said user interface further enables a user to at least one of select, modify or create an audible signal for use with said mobile station.  
     
     
         28 . The CCPS user station of  claim 25 , wherein said user interface further enables a user to at least one of select, modify or create a graphical image for use with said mobile station.  
     
     
         29 . A method for providing a component customization and personalization function, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a central site comprising an interface to a communications network, a set of predetermined designs and images, and a graphics server providing graphics tools for enabling a modification of the predetermined designs and images, and for further enabling a creation of new designs and images;    coupling a plurality of user stations to the central site through the communications network, each of the user stations comprising (a) a user interface for enabling a user to access the graphics server to perform a step of defining a desired design to be placed on a consumer product, and (b) a manufacturing subsystem;    receiving, at said manufacturing subsystem, data descriptive of the desired design; and    manufacturing at said manufacturing subsystem at least one component of the consumer product to have the desired design.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the central site further comprises an electronic commerce engine for conducting a financial transaction with the user in order to make an accounting for the manufactured at least one component.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising a step of enabling the user to include the desired design into the set of predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of defining a desired design comprises selecting one of the predetermined designs as the desired design.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of defining a desired design comprises modifying at least one of the predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of defining a desired design comprises inputting the new design or a new image.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the user inputs a new design or image by digitally scanning an artwork or a photograph.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the user inputs the new design or image by outputting digital data from a digital camera.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the user inputs the new design or image by outputting digital data from a memory card.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein at least one of the user stations is comprised of a point-of-sale (POS) terminal.  
     
     
         39 . A method for providing a component customization and personalization function, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a user station comprising (a) a user interface, and (b) a manufacturing subsystem;    enabling a user, via said user interface, to access a graphics subsystem to define a desired design to be placed on a consumer product;    receiving, at said manufacturing subsystem, data descriptive of the desired design; and    manufacturing, by said manufacturing subsystem at said user station, at least one component of the consumer product to have the desired design.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising a step of accessing an electronic commerce engine for conducting a financial transaction with the user in order to make an accounting for the manufactured at least one component.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising a step of enabling the user to include the desired design into the set of predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising a step of enabling the user to include the desired design into a set of predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the step of enabling the user to access the graphics subsystem comprises enabling the user to select one of a set of predetermined designs as the desired design.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the step of enabling the user to access the graphics subsystem comprises enabling the user to modify at least one of a set of predetermined designs and images.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the step of enabling the user to access the graphics subsystem comprises enabling the user to input a new design or a new image.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the user inputs a new design or image by digitally scanning an artwork or a photograph.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the user inputs the new design or image by outputting digital data from a digital camera.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the user inputs the new design or image by outputting digital data from a memory card.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said user stations is comprised of a point-of-sale (POS) terminal.